Revolving multi- axis polishing apparatus

ABSTRACT

A revolving multi-axis polishing apparatus includes a main vertical column in a machine body, an abrasive container set, and a multi-axis transmission device. The abrasive container adjacent to the main vertical column is filled with abrasive materials. The multi-axis transmission device, is movably mounted onto the main vertical column containing a moving mechanism, includes a primary driving module, a transmission housing, a rotation assembly, a plurality of secondary driving modules, and a plurality of shaft assemblies. The transmission housing is connected to the primary driving module. The rotation assembly is rotatably mounted inside the transmission housing. The secondary driving modules mounted onto the transmission housing are transmissively connected individually to the rotation assembly. The shaft assemblies rotatably locked onto the rotating assembly are driven to rotate and revolve synchronously to achieve polishing actions.

This application claims the benefit of Taiwan Patent Application Serial No. 107114709, filed on Apr. 30, 2018, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a revolving multi-axis polishing apparatus, and more particularly to the revolving multi-axis polishing apparatus that can rotate and revolve workpieces.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Generally speaking, while in manufacturing metallic or non-metallic parts, utilizes cutting and trimming steps to reach desired geometric dimensions and profile are inevitable; however, the machining marks and texture left on their surfaces are of a concern. Thus, managing surface roughness and texture to a desired target level on those parts is definitely a necessity. In order to improve surface finish of such parts, a final polish or a combination of grinding and polishing process(es) is usually introduced to remove all possible sharpness and rough texture over those parts, particularly at the edges and critical surfaces.

As mentioned, current polishing technique utilizes mainly a polisher and the like apparatus for polishing. However, since these polishers can only process a single workpiece at a unique polishing step, thus it is obvious that the production rate for such parts would be limited. Even when an automated process is introduced to increase the production rate, yet the limitation of one workpiece per single polisher in each polishing step cannot provide enough improvement. Hence, the resulted increase in production rate for those parts is still far from satisfactory.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view that the conventional polishing of parts with complicated surface and profile by a grinder/polisher is limited to process only one workpiece at one polishing unit and step, thus the production rate can't be effectively and efficiently increased, and thereupon, the production cost is kept fairly high. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to offer a revolving multi-axis polishing apparatus that can process plural parts simultaneously to improve productivity and cost drastically.

In the present invention, the revolving multi-axis polishing apparatus includes a main vertical column, an abrasive container set, and a multi-axis transmission device. The abrasive container set, located adjacent to the main vertical column, is filled with free moving granular abrasive materials. The multi-axis transmission device, mounted movably to an upper portion of the main vertical column containing a moving mechanism so as able to slide along the main vertical column in an insertion direction toward the abrasive container set, includes a primary driving module, a transmission housing, a rotation assembly, a plurality of secondary driving modules, and a plurality of shaft assemblies.

The primary driving module has a driving shaft. The transmission housing is connected to the primary driving module; and the driving shaft is extended into the transmission housing. The rotation assembly is located inside the transmission housing. The plurality of secondary driving modules, mounted onto the transmission housing, is transmissively and individually connected to the rotation assembly. The plurality of shaft assemblies are mounted onto the rotation assembly. Each of the plurality of shaft assemblies can be passively rotated via a linkage to the driving shaft; and is capable of mounting at least one workpiece. In the present invention, the plurality of shaft assemblies is driven to rotate synchronously by the primary driving module; and is driven to revolve synchronously by the plurality of secondary driving modules and the rotation assembly.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the rotation assembly further has an outer transmissive ring gear transmissively connected to the plurality of secondary driving modules.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the secondary driving modules are placed symmetrically on the opposing sides of the rotation assembly, with respect to the rotation axis of the rotation assembly.

In one embodiment of the present invention, each of shaft assemblies includes a shaft sub-assembly, a gear disk, and a transmission member. The gear disk firmly sleeves onto the shaft sub-assembly. The transmission member transmissively links the gear disk to the primary driving module. Preferably, the primary driving module further includes a plurality of outer ring gears, each of the plurality of outer ring gears sleeves firmly onto the driving shaft, and each of the plurality of outer ring gears is transmissively linked to the gear disk of the respective one of the plurality of shaft assemblies via the transmission member of the respective one of the plurality of shaft assemblies. In addition, the shaft sub-assembly includes a shaft body and an engagement member. The shaft body has a gear disk mounted onto it; the engagement member is mounted to the lower end of shaft body; and the engagement member is for mounting a workpiece-connecting arm; and it is for further mounting at least one workpiece.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the primary driving module and the plurality of secondary driving modules are all CNC servo motor assemblies.

As stated, the present invention utilizes the primary driving module to rotate a plurality of the rotation assemblies simultaneously, so as to polish plural workpieces synchronously. In addition, since the present invention further includes a plurality of the secondary driving modules for revolving multiple rotation assemblies at the same time, thus the granular abrasive materials inside the abrasive container set can be more evenly stirred and utilized, and thereby, wears over the abrasive materials can be more uniform, such that cost for consuming the abrasive materials can be reduced by effectively and thoroughly utilizing the batch of free moving granular abrasive materials.

All these objects can be achieved by the revolving multi-axis polishing apparatus described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be specified with reference to its preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the revolving multi-axis polishing apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is another state of FIG. 1 with the rotation assembly being exposed;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 along line A-A;

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 along line B-B;

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the primary driving module and the shaft assemblies of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 illustrates schematically the embodiment of FIG. 1 loaded with workpieces;

FIG. 7 demonstrates schematically another state of FIG. 6 with the multi-axis transmission device being lowered in an insertion direction to dip the workpieces into the granular abrasive container set; and

FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 demonstrate schematically two states of the workpieces rotating in the revolving multi-axis polishing apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The invention disclosed herein is directed to a revolving multi-axis polishing apparatus. In the following description, numerous details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that variations of these specific details are possible while still achieving the results of the present invention. In other instance, well-known components are not described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention.

Refer to FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 now. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the revolving multi-axis polishing apparatus in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 2 is another state of FIG. 1 with the rotation assembly being exposed. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 along line A-A. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 along line B-B.

As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, the revolving multi-axis polishing apparatus 100 includes a machine body with a main vertical column 1, a material-carrying platform 2, an abrasive container set 3, and a multi-axis transmission device 4. The main vertical column 1 is constructed with a lifting track 11 allowing the multi-axis transmission device to move downward or upward in a vertical direction D1 (see FIG. 7).

The material-carrying platform 2 is located in front of the vertical column 1 of the machine body and below the multi-axis transmission device 4. The abrasive container set 3, mounted on top of the material-carrying platform 2 includes a first material tank 31 and a second material tank 32. The first material tank 31 has a first containing space 311; and the second material tank 32 has a second containing space 321. These material tanks can be either in round or in non-circular forms. In this embodiment, for containing an abrasive material (not shown in the figure), neither the first containing space 311 nor the second containing space 321 is in a circular form. Practically, the material-carrying platform 2 can be on a convey-belt type or other functional moving device; and is used for linearly moving or rotating the abrasive container set 3 setting on the material-carrying platform 2.

The multi-axis transmission device 4, mounted movably to an upper portion of the main vertical column 1 of the machine body to slide along the main vertical column 1 via the lifting track 11 in an insertion direction D1 toward the abrasive container set 3, includes a movement-coupling member 41, a primary driving module 42, a transmission housing 43, a rotation assembly 44, two secondary driving modules 45, 46, and eight shaft assemblies 47 (only one labeled in the figure).

The movement-coupling member 41 is movably mounted to the upper portion of the lifting track 11 so as to limit the multi-axis transmission device 4 to move along the main vertical column 1 of the machine body in the insertion direction D1. In this embodiment, the movement-coupling member 41 drives the multi-axis transmission device 4 to desired positions in the insertion direction D1 with respect to the main vertical column 1, while it is mainly driven by motors and the related power elements inside the movement-coupling member 41. Thereupon, the movement-coupling member 41 can utilize the lifting track 11 to move reciprocally in the insertion direction D1. However, the invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiment. In another embodiment, the movement-coupling member 41 can be fixed to the lifting track 11 by a buckling means, and thus the movement of the lifting track 11 can be used to drive the movement-coupling member 41 to move in the insertion direction D1.

Referring to FIG. 5 now, a schematic perspective view of the primary driving module and the shaft assemblies of FIG. 1 is shown. In this embodiment, the primary driving module 42 includes a driving motor 421, a driving shaft 422, and eight outer ring gears 423 (only one is labeled in the figure). The driving motor 421 is firmly mounted onto the movement-coupling member 41. The driving shaft 422 is connected to an output shaft (not shown in the figure) of the driving motor 421; and the driving shaft 422 penetrates through the movement-coupling member 41 and then protrudes into the transmission housing 43. The eight outer ring gears 423 are firmly and sequentially mounted onto the driving shaft 422 along its axial direction. In this embodiment, the primary driving module 42 can be a CNC (Computerized numerical controlled) servo motor assembly, and the driving motor 421 is a servo motor, such that the primary driving module 42 can control the rotations and polishing actions through a controller of a CNC machine.

The transmission housing 43 includes a bottom plate 431, an outer frame 432, and a top plate 433. The outer frame 432 securely locks, by circling, the rims of both the bottom plate 431 and the top plate 433 so as to form a contained space there inside (not shown in the figure). The top plate 433 is fixed to the movement-coupling member 41 while the driving shaft 422 penetrates through it. The driving shaft 422 is then extended into the semi-closed space defined by the bottom plate 431, the outer frame 432, and the top plate 433.

The rotation assembly 44, rotatably mounted inside the semi-closed space of the transmission housing 43, has an outer transmissive ring gear 441. The two secondary driving modules 45 and 46, mounted onto the top plate 433 of the transmission housing 43, are transmissively connected to the outer transmissive ring gear 441 of the rotation assembly 44. In this embodiment, the two secondary driving module 45 and 46 are placed symmetrically to two opposing sides of the rotation assembly 44, with respect to the rotation axis of the rotation assembly 44. In particular, the rotation axis of the rotation assembly 44 coincides with that of the driving shaft 422. Namely, rotations of the rotation assembly 44 and the driving shaft 422 are co-axial. In addition, practically, the secondary driving module 45 includes a driving gear 451 (see FIG. 8); and, similarly, the secondary driving module 46 also includes another driving gear 461 (see FIG. 8). The driving gears 451 and 461, mounted to the output shafts (not shown in the figure) of the secondary driving modules 45 and 46, respectively, engage individually to the outer transmissive ring gear 441, such that the two secondary driving modules 45 and 46 can transmissively connect to the rotation assembly 44. In this embodiment, the secondary driving modules 45 and 46 are both CNC servo motor assemblies. Namely, a controller of a CNC machine can be adopted to control the rotations and timing of servo motors of the secondary driving modules 45 and 46.

As described, since the two secondary driving modules 45 and 46 are placed symmetrically to two opposing sides of the rotation assembly 44 with respect to the rotation axis of the rotation assembly 44; thus, when the two secondary driving modules 45 and 46 rotate at the same direction together to further rotate the outer transmissive ring gear 441, a force couple is formed to cancel the torques exerted on the outer transmissive ring gear 441 coining from the two secondary driving modules 45 and 46. Thus, potential damages to the outer transmissive ring gear 441 caused by excessive and unbalanced forces can be avoided.

The eight shaft assemblies 47 are evenly positioned in a circular form around the driving shaft 422; and each of the shaft assemblies 47 includes a locating bearing 471, a shaft sub-assembly 472, a gear disk 473, and a transmission member 474.

The locating bearing 471 is mounted to the rotation assembly 44. The shaft sub-assembly 472 includes a shaft body 4721 and an engagement member 4722. The shaft body 4721 is rotatably mounted onto the locating bearing 471 by penetrating there through. Thereupon, the distance between the shaft body 4721 and the driving shaft 422 can be maintained. The eight shaft bodies 4721 of the corresponding eight shaft assemblies 47 are evenly and discretely distributed to surround the driving shaft 422 in a circle, and the distance between each of the eight shaft bodies 4721 and the driving shaft 422 is the same.

The engagement member 4722, mounted to the lower end of the shaft body 4721, is located below the locating bearing 471, so that, as the locating bearing 471 is mounted to the rotation assembly 44, the engagement member 4722 is positioned below the transmission housing 43. The gear disk 473, firmly mounted onto the shaft body 4721, is positioned in correspondence with the respective outer ring gear 423. The transmission member 474, transmissively linking the outer ring gear 423 and the gear disk 473 together, allows the power of the primary driving motor 421 can be transmitted to the corresponding shaft body 4721, via the driving shaft 422, then the outer ring gear 423, and thus the gear disk 473. In this embodiment, the diameter of the driven gear disk 473 is larger than that of the driving outer ring gear 423, such that, as the driving shaft 422 rotates at a higher speed, the rotation speed of the shaft body 4721 can be reduced. However, the corresponding output of torque can be raised. Practically, the output torque of the shaft body 4721 can be adjusted by designing a specific gear ratio of the outer ring gear 423 to the gear disk 473.

In this present invention, the transmission member 474 can be embodied as, but not limited to, a chain (shown in this embodiment) or any other design with similar functionality. In another embodiment, a pulley-belt pair can be also used. In this embodiment, preferably, all the eight shaft assemblies 47 are similarly structured, only with a difference at the installation height of the gear disk 473 with respect to the shaft sub-assembly 472. It is noted that the height arrangement shown in this embodiment is only a typical one among many feasible examples.

Refer to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 now; where FIG. 6 illustrates schematically the embodiment of FIG. 1 loaded with workpieces, and FIG. 7 demonstrates schematically another state of FIG. 6 with the multi-axis transmission device being lowered in an insertion direction to dip the workpieces into the abrasive container set. As shown, in the case that four sets of workpieces 200 (only one is labeled in the figure) are arranged for polishing simultaneously, four connection arms 300 (only one is labeled in the figure) are used to mount these four sets of workpieces 200, and then connect the respective engagement members 4722 on the shaft assemblies 47. Preferably, the mounting arrangement is even and balanced among the group of shaft assemblies 47, so that the counter forces exerted on the driving shaft 422 can be more uniformly distributed.

Referring to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 now, two states of the workpieces rotated in the revolving multi-axis polishing apparatus in accordance with the present invention are demonstrated schematically. As shown, as both the driving gears 451 and 461 rotate in a rotation direction R1, the engaged outer transmissive ring gear 441 would be driven to rotate in an opposite rotation direction R2, so that the entire rotation assembly 44 will be rotated in the rotation direction R2. At this time, since all these eight shaft assemblies 47 are located in the rotation assembly 44 via mounting the shaft sub-assembly 472 through respective locating bearings 471, therefore, as the rotation assembly 44 rotates in the rotational direction R2, these eight shaft assemblies 47 would be driven to rotate in the rotation direction R2 relative to the axis of driving shaft 422. Namely, these eight shaft assemblies 47 would revolve around the driving shaft 422. Since all these eight shaft assemblies 47 are all driven by the same driving shaft 422 via corresponding transmission members 474, thus the eight shaft assemblies 47 can self-rotate in the same direction as that of the driving shaft 422; and can also revolve synchronously. Thereupon, the revolving multi-axis polishing apparatus 100 provided by this invention has the secondary driving modules 45 and 46 to rotate, and further to drive the eight shaft assemblies 47 for performing synchronous revolving motion. Also, through the primary driving module 42 to rotate these eight shaft assemblies 47, the workpieces 200 can be simultaneously ground or polished by the granular abrasive materials in the abrasive container set 3.

It shall be explained that, when the shaft assemblies 47 are mounted individually with the connection arms 300 and the set of workpieces 200, the eight shaft assemblies 47 can rotate and revolve synchronously via the same driving shaft 422 and the corresponding transmission members 474. Thereupon, multiple workpieces 200 can be polished simultaneously and efficiently without collisions between the neighboring workpieces 200.

In summary, in comparison with the conventional polishing operations that can process only one workpiece at one polish step and thus the associated production rate can't be efficiently increased, the present invention utilizes the primary driving module to rotate simultaneously a plurality of the rotation assemblies so as to polish plural workpieces synchronously. In addition, since the present invention further includes a plurality of the secondary driving modules for revolving multiple rotation assemblies at the same time, thus the granular abrasive materials inside the abrasive container set can be evenly stirred and utilized, and thereby wears over the granular abrasive materials can be more uniform, such that the cost for replacing the abrasive materials can be reduced by efficiently and thoroughly utilizing the abrasive materials.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail can be done without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention; therefore, should be protected by this invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A revolving multi-axis polishing apparatus, comprising: a machine body containing a main vertical column; an abrasive container set, located adjacent to the main vertical column, filled with abrasive materials; and a multi-axis transmission device, mounted movably to the main vertical column for sliding reciprocally in a direction toward or away from the abrasive container set, including: a primary driving module, having a driving shaft; a transmission housing, connected to the primary driving module, the driving shaft being extended into the transmission housing; a rotation assembly, rotatably mounted inside the transmission housing; a plurality of secondary driving modules, mounted onto the transmission housing, transmissively connected individually to the rotation assembly; and a plurality of shaft assemblies, rotatably mounted to the rotation assembly, each of the plurality of shaft assemblies being transmissively linked to the driving shaft and being able to mount at least one workpiece; wherein the plurality of shaft assemblies are driven to rotate synchronously by the primary driving module; and are driven to revolve synchronously by the plurality of secondary driving modules and the rotation assembly.
 2. The revolving multi-axis polishing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotation assembly further has an outer transmissive ring gear transmissively connected to the plurality of secondary driving modules.
 3. The revolving multi-axis polishing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of secondary driving modules are positioned symmetrically to two opposing sides of the rotation assembly with respect to a rotation axis of the rotation assembly.
 4. The revolving multi-axis polishing apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of shaft assemblies includes: a shaft sub-assembly; a gear disk, firmly mounted onto the shaft sub-assembly; and a transmission member, transmissively linking the gear disk to the primary driving module.
 5. The revolving multi-axis polishing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the primary driving module further includes a plurality of outer ring gears, each of the plurality of outer ring gears sleeves firmly onto the driving shaft, and each of the plurality of outer ring gears is transmissively linked to the gear disk of the respective one of the plurality of shaft assemblies via the transmission member of the respective one of the plurality of shaft assemblies.
 6. The revolving multi-axis polishing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the shaft sub-assembly includes a shaft body and an engagement member, while the gear disk is fixedly mounted onto the shaft body, the engagement member is rigidly connected to a lower end of the shaft body; and the engagement member is for mounting a workpiece-connecting arm for further mounting at least one workpiece.
 7. The revolving multi-axis polishing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the primary driving module is a servo motor assembly in a CNC (Computerized numerical controlled) machine.
 8. The revolving multi-axis polishing apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of secondary driving modules is a servo motor assembly in a CNC (Computerized numerical controlled) machine. 